Distributed help system for consumer electronic devices

ABSTRACT

Methods and systems consistent with the present invention provide help and configuration information for a plurality of consumer electronic devices in an audio/video network. More specifically, each network device provides help information, identifying the device and its features to other network devices. A help utility program interfaces with a presentation device to provide help information to a user. Another implementation consistent with the present invention provides help information related to configuring two or more devices to perform an operation.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application relates to, and claims priority in, U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 09/239,718, entitled “Distributed Help System ForConsumer Electronic Devices,” filed on Jan. 29, 1999. The foregoingrelated application is commonly assigned, and is hereby incorporated byreference.

BACKGROUND SECTION

[0002] 1. Field of the Invention

[0003] The present invention relates generally to consumer electronicdevices in a network that share distributed access to resources, andmore particularly to providing on-line help and configurationinformation for consumer electronic devices in an audio/video network.

[0004] 2. Description of the Background Art

[0005] Consumer electronic devices generally have limited resources,including RAM, ROM, display size, etc., to store and displayinformation, including complete operating instructions, to a user. Tocompensate for the current inability to provide such information tousers, printed operating manuals are distributed with consumerelectronic devices to educate users on features and guide them throughusing a device. Although printed manuals can provide useful information,they do not make a device user friendly and they are easily misplaced.Additionally, printed manuals do not assist a user in integrating theuse of several consumer electronic devices. Similarly, when a deviceincreases or decreases its functionality, a printed manual is unable toalert a user of the change.

[0006] The IEEE-1394 digital interface standard is a serial digitalinterface enabling high-speed (up to 400 Mbps) data communication amongmultimedia consumer electronic equipment such as video camcorders,electronic still cameras, and digital audio/visual equipment. Featuresof IEEE-1394 include live connection/disconnection without data loss orinterruption, automatic configuration supporting plug and play, andflexible network topology allowing mixing branches and daisy-chains.

[0007] The high-speed data transfer of the 1394 interface has enabledthe connection of digital consumer products directly to a personalcomputer, promising the advent of integrated audio/video networks thatmay take advantage of distributed resources. For example, consumerelectronic devices participating in an audio/video network may sharedistributed access to a particular feature of one of the networkdevices. Such flexibility, however, exacerbates the limitations ofprinted manuals. It is therefore desirable to provide methods andapparatus to increase the availability of operating instructions andother information to make consumer electronic devices moreuser-friendly.

SUMMARY

[0008] Methods and systems consistent with the present invention providedistributed help and configuration information for a plurality ofconsumer electronic devices in an audio/video network. An embodimentconsistent with the present invention, as embodied and broadly describedherein, includes an audio/video network of various consumer electronicdevices, each device containing information related to itsconfiguration, features, and function.

[0009] At least one network device must contain a help system thatcollects help information for all network devices, and coordinates thepresentation of help information in an audio or video text or track, ora combination. The help information may be presented in an interactiveor non-interactive form. Any network device containing a presentationdevice may present the help instructions.

[0010] An implementation consistent with the present invention retrievesa help request from a user of a consumer electronic device, accesseshelp information associated with the device, and presents helpinstructions addressing the help request. The help information ismodifiable according to characteristics associated with the device orother network devices.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in andconstitute a part of this specification, illustrate an implementationconsistent with the invention, and together with the description, serveto explain the principles of the invention.

[0012]FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary network of devicescoupled through an IEEE-1394 interface in a manner consistent with thepresent invention;

[0013]FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a detailed view of a helpsystem consistent with the present invention; and

[0014]FIG. 3 is a flow diagram of the operation of a help systemconsistent with the principles of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0015] Reference will now be made in detail to an implementationconsistent with the present invention as illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be usedthroughout the drawings and the following description to refer to thesame or like parts.

[0016] As described herein, a help system interfaces with networkdevices to provide “help” information, that is, operating instructionsand related information pertaining to one or more of the devices. When adevice becomes connected to the network it gets registered with the helpsystem. A user then initiates operation of the help system. The helpinformation associated with each device is contained in each devicewithin a help information storage module that downloads the helpinformation to the help-system, either when a device enters a network,or upon user activation of the help system. Alternatively, helpinformation associated with a device may be contained in another networkdevice or storage facility. When multiple devices are connected to anetwork the help system may provide help information related tointegrating the use of those devices.

[0017]FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a network of IEEE-1394 enableddevices consistent with an implementation of the present invention. AUniversal Serial Bus (“USB”), or any other interface mechanism, may alsobe used. As shown, a network 180 includes the following consumerelectronic devices: digital video monitor 110, digital VCR 140, personalcomputer 130, digital speakers 150, radio/CD player 160. The devicescommunicate digital audio and video data with one another via anIEEE-1394 interface.

[0018] Each of the consumer electronic devices in network 180 contains ahelp information storage module that includes data specifying helpinformation associated with the device. The help information associatedwith each device includes information identifying the type of device,the device's built-in features, such as an ability to record, andinformation regarding the device's compatibility with other potentialnetwork devices. Each device may also include a reference to anothernetwork device, in the form of for example, self describing data(“SDD”). SDD defines a means of embedding a URL in the configuration ROMof a 1394 device. Such a URL could be used to point to an Internet webor ftp site, specifying a file that contains help information for adevice. Additional information regarding SDD may be found in the HomeAudio/Video Interoperability (“HAVi™”) specification, 1.0 beta version,incorporated herein by reference.

[0019] HAVi™, which defines a set of on-screen display data structures,may be used to provide access to help information stored internally to anetwork consumer electronic device. Devices may also exchangeinformation through use of unit and subunit identification descriptors,consistent with the AV/C Digital Interface Command Set GeneralSpecification (“AV/C”). Additional information regarding AV/C may befound in the AV/C specification, version 3.0, incorporated herein byreference. One skilled in the art of interactive user interfaces willappreciate that additional data structures (beyond HAVi™ and AV/C) maybe used to support the exchange of information among network devices.

[0020] Each time a new device becomes connected to a network 180, itgets registered with a help system 120 contained in one or more ofdevices 110, 130, 140, 150, and 160, described below. When a device isadded to or removed from a 1394 network, a bus reset is generated. Alldevices connected to the bus will see this signal, and will participatein the bus configuration process, allowing all network devices todetermine which other devices are present in the network. The helpinstructions provided to a user reflect relevant characteristicsassociated with other network devices.

[0021] When a device adds a new feature, or deletes an existing one, forexample, when a snap-on module is physically attached to or removed froma device, the device notifies help system 120 of the addition ordeletion by issuing a command consistent with either the HAVi™ or theAV/C protocol.

[0022] As shown in FIG. 2, help system 120 includes a processor 210, ahelp utility program 220, a RAM 225, a presentation device 230, anoptional secondary storage unit 240, and an input device 250. RAM 225may consist of a removable memory cartridge, such as the SonyMemoryStick™. The components of help system 120 interact via system bus235. Presentation device 330 may in general be any presentationmechanism associated with any network device. For example, a set ofspeakers and a video monitor of a digital television both representacceptable presentation devices. Input device 250 includes any suitableuser input mechanism that allows a user to interact with the helpsystem. Although input device 250 may be a stand-alone device as shownin FIG. 2, it will generally be contained in a consumer electronicdevice, for example, a keyboard or a touch sensitive on-screen display.The input device may or may not be physically connected to any of thenetwork devices. For example, a remote control input device couldcommunicate with the help system by used of an infrared, RF, or otherwireless signal.

[0023]FIG. 3 shows a flow diagram of the operation of a help systemconsistent with the principles of the present invention. When more thanone device on the network includes a help system 120, each help system120 may operate as set forth below. The help system of the presentinvention initializes its internal information and registers networkdevices by scanning the bus to collect help information related to thenetwork devices (stage 305). For each device not currently registeredwith the help system, the help system collects the help data associatedwith the device (stage 320). The help system requests that each devicesend updated help information to it as help information changes (stage340). Upon receiving a change notification (stage 390) the help systemautomatically updates its help information (stage 320).

[0024] Upon receiving a help request from a user of the help system(stage 350), the help system presents a “main menu” to the user (stage360). The “main menu” indicates the network devices for which helpinformation may be obtained. A user must specify, by selecting from aninput device, from which network device(s) help information is desired.If the help system has not previously received all help informationrelated to a device, the system retrieves any additional helpinformation from the appropriate storage facility (stage 370).

[0025] To present the help information to a user, the help systemconstructs a user interface according to both the type of device forwhich the help information is being presented (stage 380), and accordingto the type of device that will present the help information. A helppresentation may be adjusted to account for a state of a device orcontrols being described. For example, an on-screen button for a VCR maybe disabled or inactive if there is no tape inserted into the machine.The help system would explain why the button is disabled and instruct auser on how to enable it to perform the requested operation.

[0026] Help information may be presented to a user in an interactive ornon-interactive manner. For example, presenting a series of text boxesproviding configuration or use information about a device isnon-interactive. On the other hand, an interactive help presentation mayguide the user through a specific sequence of steps necessary forcompleting an operation.

[0027] The help presentation may include audio data, or data in the formof an audio or video track. An audio sound track associated with helpdata may be accessed by use of an AV/C or HAVi™ data structure thatspecifies where the audio data may be found and when it should be played(i.e., to correspond to the video display). Similarly, a video sequenceillustrating how to perform an instruction stage may be linked to eachinstruction. The data format for the video could be any compatiblestandard as defined by any standards body, such as the InternationalElectrotechnical Commission (“IEC”) 61883 protocol. An example of acompatible video format is the Motion Pictures Experts Group (“MPEG”)standard. Additional information on MPEG may be obtained from theInternational Telecommunications Union. One skilled in the art willunderstand that IEC standards are compatible with a variety of videocompression and formatting techniques.

[0028] The help system may be deactivated by a user request, or uponcompletion of an operation or the passing of a specified time interval.

[0029] The help system of the present invention may also be used toprovide multi-device help for network devices. When a user needs toconfigure two or more devices to use a feature of a device, amulti-device help operation must be performed. For example, when a userperforms a recording operation between a CD player and an MD recordingdeck, by using features of both devices a user may be able to performthe operation in fewer steps.

[0030] To perform a multi-device help operation each network device mustdetermine which other devices it may operate with. This can beaccomplished by each device scanning the network bus and collecting SDDor AV/C data related to other network devices. When a user invokesoperation of the help system and selects a help operation for a specificdevice, the user is prompted to specify which other devices to use inperforming the operation. The help system then determines whether thespecified devices may be used together and provides help informationaccordingly.

CONCLUSION

[0031] The system herein described is a generic help utility, portableto a variety of consumer electronic device network configurations. Itwill therefore be apparent to those skilled in the art that variousmodifications and variations can be made to the present inventionwithout departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Forexample, although the help system has been described as being stored ina network consumer electronic device, it may be stored in a network PC.Similarly, help information associated with a network device may bestored in a help information storage module contained in another networkdevice, or on a network server, in which case, a device would provide areference to where its help information is stored.

[0032] Additionally, although the help system utility was described inthe context of a network based on IEEE-1394, other interfacearchitectures, for example, Universal Serial Bus (“USB”), may be used.Alternatively, consumer electronic devices may communicate with oneanother via infrared data ports, or an equivalent mechanism supportingcommunications between devices that are not physically connected to oneanother.

[0033] Other embodiments of the invention will also be apparent to thoseskilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practiceof the invention disclosed herein. It is intended that the specificationand examples be considered as exemplary only, with the true scope andspirit of the invention being indicated by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. An apparatus for providing help information in adistributed electronic network, comprising: a help system configured toaccess said help information corresponding to different types ofelectronic devices in said distributed electronic network, said helpsystem then providing said help information to a system user in responseto a help request; and a processor coupled to one of said electronicdevices, said processor being configured to control said help system tothereby provide said help information to said system user.
 2. Theapparatus of claim 1 wherein said help information includes individualoperating instructions and specific configuration informationcorresponding to said different types of said electronic devices.
 3. Theapparatus of claim 1 wherein said help information includes a devicetype identifier, device feature specifications, and device compatibilitycharacteristics for different types of said electronic devices.
 4. Theapparatus of claim 1 wherein said electronics devices include differenttypes of consumer audio/video devices that utilize at least one of audiodata and video data.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each of saidelectronic devices registers with said help system when said each ofsaid electronic devices becomes connected to said distributed electronicnetwork.
 6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein device-specific versions ofsaid help information are stored locally in different help storagemodules on each of said electronic devices, said help system downloadingand locally storing said device-specific versions of said helpinformation.
 7. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein each of said electronicdevices includes self-describing data that directs said help system to aremote storage location that stores device-specific versions of saidhelp information, said help system then downloading and locally storingsaid device-specific versions of said help information from said remotestorage location.
 8. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein each of saidelectronic devices notifies said help system when a device feature isadded and when a device feature is removed, said help systemresponsively updating said help information.
 9. The apparatus of claim 1wherein said help system performs an initialization procedure byscanning a network bus to collect registration information from saidelectronic devices in said distributed electronic network.
 10. Theapparatus of claim 9 wherein said help system downloads and locallystores device-specific versions of said help information from helpstorage modules on each of said electronic devices.
 11. The apparatus ofclaim 10 wherein said help system requests a notification from said eachof said electronic devices for any future changes to saiddevice-specific versions of said help information.
 12. The apparatus ofclaim 11 wherein said help system receives said notification anddynamically updates a corresponding one of said device-specific versionsof said help information.
 13. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein saidhelp system receives said help request from said system user to obtainone or more of said device-specific versions of said help information.14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said help system identifies tosaid system user said electronic devices that are registered as being onsaid distributed electronic network by utilizing a user interfacemechanism.
 15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said system userutilizes an input device to specify for which of said electronic devicessaid help information is required.
 16. The apparatus of claim 13 whereinsaid help system retrieves requested help information corresponding tosaid help request, said help system then providing said requested helpinformation to said system user.
 17. The apparatus of claim 16 whereinsaid help system provides said requested help information in at leastone of an audio format and a video format.
 18. The apparatus of claim 16wherein said help system provides said requested help information in aninteractive format that supports participation by said system user. 19.The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said help system guides said systemuser through a specific sequence of steps necessary for completing acorresponding operation.
 20. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said helpsystem simultaneously provides multi-device help for utilizing aplurality of said different types of said electronic devices in a singleoperation.
 21. A method for providing help information in a distributedelectronic network, comprising the steps of: utilizing a help system toaccess said help information corresponding to different types ofelectronic devices in said distributed electronic network, said helpsystem then providing said help information to a system user in responseto a help request; and controlling said help system with a processorcoupled to one of said electronic devices to thereby provide said helpinformation to said system user.
 22. The method of claim 21 wherein saidhelp information includes individual operating instructions and specificconfiguration information corresponding to said different types of saidelectronic devices.
 23. The method of claim 21 wherein said helpinformation includes a device type identifier, device featurespecifications, and device compatibility characteristics for differenttypes of said electronic devices.
 24. The method of claim 21 whereinsaid electronics devices include different types of consumer audio/videodevices that utilize at least one of audio data and video data.
 25. Themethod of claim 21 wherein each of said electronic devices registerswith said help system when said each of said electronic devices becomesconnected to said distributed electronic network.
 26. The method ofclaim 25 wherein device-specific versions of said help information arestored locally in different help storage modules on each of saidelectronic devices, said help system downloading and locally storingsaid device-specific versions of said help information.
 27. The methodof claim 25 wherein each of said electronic devices includesself-describing data that directs said help system to a remote storagelocation that stores device-specific versions of said help information,said help system then downloading and locally storing saiddevice-specific versions of said help information from said remotestorage location.
 28. The method of claim 25 wherein each of saidelectronic devices notifies said help system when a device feature isadded and when a device feature is removed, said help systemresponsively updating said help information.
 29. The method of claim 21wherein said help system performs an initialization procedure byscanning a network bus to collect registration information from saidelectronic devices in said distributed electronic network.
 30. Themethod of claim 29 wherein said help system downloads and locally storesdevice-specific versions of said help information from help storagemodules on each of said electronic devices.
 31. The method of claim 30wherein said help system requests a notification from said each of saidelectronic devices for any future changes to said device-specificversions of said help information.
 32. The method of claim 31 whereinsaid help system receives said notification and dynamically updates acorresponding one of said device-specific versions of said helpinformation.
 33. The method of claim 30 wherein said help systemreceives said help request from said system user to obtain one or moreof said device-specific versions of said help information.
 34. Themethod of claim 33 wherein said help system identifies to said systemuser said electronic devices that are registered as being on saiddistributed electronic network by utilizing a user interface mechanism.35. The method of claim 34 wherein said system user utilizes an inputdevice to specify for which of said electronic devices said helpinformation is required.
 36. The method of claim 33 wherein said helpsystem retrieves requested help information corresponding to said helprequest, said help system then providing said requested help informationto said system user.
 37. The method of claim 36 wherein said help systemprovides said requested help information in at least one of an audioformat and a video format.
 38. The method of claim 36 wherein said helpsystem provides said requested help information in an interactive formatthat supports participation by said system user.
 39. The method of claim36 wherein said help system guides said system user through a specificsequence of steps necessary for completing a corresponding operation.40. The method of claim 21 wherein said help system simultaneouslyprovides multi-device help for utilizing a plurality of said differenttypes of said electronic devices in a single operation.
 41. Acomputer-readable medium comprising program instructions for providinghelp information in a distributed electronic network, by performing thesteps of: utilizing a help system to access said help informationcorresponding to different types of electronic devices in saiddistributed electronic network, said help system then providing saidhelp information to a system user in response to a help request; andcontrolling said help system with a processor coupled to one of saidelectronic devices to thereby provide said help information to saidsystem user.
 42. An apparatus for providing help information in adistributed electronic network, comprising: means for accessing saidhelp information corresponding to different types of electronic devicesin said distributed electronic network, said means for accessing thenproviding said help information to a system user in response to a helprequest; and means for controlling said means for accessing to therebyprovide said help information to said system user.
 43. A system forproviding help information for consumer electronic devices in anaudio/video network, comprising: a processor for processing a helprequest related to operating at least one of a plurality of differenttypes of network devices in said audio/video network; and a device forproviding help instructions that reflect characteristics of at least oneother of said consumer electronic devices.
 44. A method for providingdistributed access to help information for different types of consumerelectronic devices in a network, comprising the steps of: receiving ahelp request related to one of said consumer electronic devices;accessing first help information related to characteristics of aplurality of said consumer electronic devices present in said network;and providing second help information in response to said help request,said second help information being based upon said first helpinformation.